Engine starter and actuating mechanism therefor



Sept. 19, 1944. 2,358,445

ENGINE STARTER AND ACTUATING'MECHANISM THEREFOR T. M. CONE Filed April 5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 19, T M CO ENGINE. STARTER AND ACTUATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed April 5,1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 19, 1944 S f A Q ENGINE STARTER AND-AOTUATING M 3 "'Iruett M. cone; Fort Worth,'Tex.,Jassignor to Mid-Continent Supply Cmpany,"EortjWorth Tex.,fa corporationgof Delaware Application time, 1943, seiai'ntfamssi' r Thi i v tio 1 te' to-new and useful im-i ventional flywheel-1:1 is mounted Serrationsor movementsin 'enginestarters and actuating gear teeth 12 are formed on 'the periphery of mechanismsitherefor; f a

One object of the invention is to provide (an withthe'teethofa starter pinion l3. As is clearimproved starter for-an engine having actuating 5 1y shown in Figure. 3, the starter-A includes the the flywheel and are iadaptedrto constantly mesh.

mechan'isinwhich mayactuat d by rtabl usual Bendix or similar drive: l4-for rotating means so as toobviate the necessity of a power e P has itihollsing e n source at thellocation of the engine.

through an .openin'giiili formed in the wall l0 Animportant object of "the invention is to proa'djacentthe periphery of the flywheel ll.

vide an improved fiuidim'pelled: or pressure-ac external, r di l fl n J5 i iormed on the intertuated drive mechanism foroperating the start mediate portion of the...housing, and has ;a pluer of an engineJwhich mechanism'isadapted to a' ity 0f h1g8 ears de int ral h rewith be actuated-by.anyiavailable source-of pressure, for eceiv dib 1" which engage in the such as, an air compressor or a pressure fluid wall Ii] .to support saidihousing. ,If -desired, a line whereby thestartingof a plurality of ens itable spacer: ring. 18 maybe interp ed b gines maybe accomplished by employing-asintween the wall;lfl and;the-;flange l6; 5 1 I gle powerLsourceso asxto eliminate individual :An aira'ctuated :or; fluidtimpc led 1m t0 power starting meansforeach engine. having a press re 'iluideinl ctwporfl nnect d- Another objector the-invention. is to, provide tozthe outerendio'frthe assembly A by complean improved actuatingmechanismi foran engine annular flanges and 2| -3d; L01 t t which is adapted to hersubstituted ,fgr saidoutjer. end andrthem tork u ta e..bo .t

theconventionalelectricmotoror mechanical-op- 22 nd nuts .23.;fasten thehaneesi-Zll an -2 1 9 erating means'and. which includes an air or fluid ge The fl n eilip o m ap t-o n ad impelled motor having its shaft releasably .conr-, er .or-r collar 24 which has; its'inner endportion nected-withrthe starter, whereby said'starter may, 25? reduced n d am t r x f q; ex al y; r

e actuated bythe motorupon the supplying of threadedastshownat: Z5 Q n a eme t n suitable fluid ofsufilcient pressure to said motor. ta m l lrbhs ls adeinte r wit th i uf -i.

A further object of;the invention is to provide n o the m to B li 'ane a s e m 1,

an improved starter actuating mechanism, of. having one en co n ted tOFthe motor housin the character described, which is of compact by a studbo 1 3 and t 0tl l..- d' or h ra a rugged-:andinexpensive construction,'is readily es -1 Y h QQ -th x 12 3151 mountable upon an engin a d hi may he provided for reinforcing the connection between: operated by any available source of pressure, Saidmotor housing and e a y The, 7 thereby being ada tabl for use t many ihsta11a motor B is of conventional construction and intions where conventional power is unobtainable. 01116185 the usual gear train having reduction gears A construction designed to carry out the in- 29 and 30 Which are dp n a S ble S ub vention will be hereinafter described together Shaft 3| Journaled i the housing of Said motorwith other features of th invention The gear 30 is of greater diameter than the gear The invention will b r readily understood 29 and is'inconstant mesh with a reduced pinfrom a readin of th following specification and 40 ion 32 formed on the outer end of the shaft 46 r by reference to th accompanying drawings of an impeller or rotor 41 for driving said gear wherein an example of the invention is shown, 'A line Pipe 33 is adapted to be and wherein: nected in the inlet port for supplying air, or

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an actuating other fluid under Pressure, to the rotor i mechanism,-c onstructed in accordance with the 45 Feller Ofthe motor B from y Suitable Source,

invention, and shown connected to the starter of Such as an r p s r n t Shown). Manian engine, g festly, the air or other fluid under pressure'will Figure 2 i an end elevation, partly broken drive the impeller or rotor 41 and its shaft 46 away, showing the usual connection between the a so as to rotatethe gears 9 and 30 e to the ta t and t flywheel of t engine and 50 meshing of the latter gear with the pinionQ32.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section A Spindle Shaft 34 extends 9Xially Ou and partly in elevation, of the actuating Inechthe collar 24 and boss 26 and has its inner end anism and starte V journaled within the motor housing by a suitable In the drawings, the numeral l0 designates ball bearing 35. For supporting the outer end the housing of an engine within which a conof the spindle 34, an additional ball bearing 36 is mounted in the bore of'the collar 24 which is enlarged and offset radially outwardly as shown at 31 relative to the reduced screw-threaded portion 25 of said collar to provide an annular shoulder 38. A retaining ring 39 is screw-threaded within the outer end of the bore 31 for clamping the ball bearing 36 against the shoulder 38. If

desired, a packing ring4ll, of any suitable mate-- rial, may be interposed between the spindle and the retaining ring 39. The outer portion of the spindle which is journaled within the bearing 36 is reduced in diameter so as toprovide a radial shoulder 4| which engages said bearing so as to prevent outward displacement of said spindle. A similar shoulder 42 is formed adjacent the inner end of the spindle by reducing the diameter of said inner end, whereby inward displacement of said spindle is prevented by the shoulder '42 engaging the bearing 35.

An annular gear 43, of greater diameter than the reduction'gear 29 and having its teeth in constant mesh with the teeth of said reduction gear;- is splined or otherwise keyed to the inner end,

portion of the spindle so that rotation of the reduction gear will impart rotation to said spindle. The outer end of the spindle projects beyond the collar 24 and is formed with a stub shaft 44 which engages within the BendixfJdrive 'l4 ofv the starter A. A plurality of splines 45 are :formed on the inner end portion of the shaft 44 for establishing a driving connection between the.

spindle 34 andthe Bendix. drive [4. The drive I4 is actuated in the usual manner'through its connection with the splines 45. of the shaft 44 which in turn is rotated due to the driving connection between the spindle 34 and the stub shaft 3| of the motor B. Thus, the pinion I3 of the starter A is rotated'to drive the flywheel ll upon actuation of the "Bendix drive by the motor.

From the foregoing, it manifest that whenever it is desired to actuate the drive of the starter assembly so as to start the engineinot shown),

it is-only necessary to connect the line 33 or other suitable pressure conduit to the port IQ of the motor B. Upon the introduction of "airor other fluid under pressure into the-motor-,-the impeller or rotor 41 thereof will be driven to rotate its shaft 46 and pinion 32. 'Rotation'of the pinion 32 will drive thegear 30 which movement will be transmitted to the spindle 34 through the stub other fluid under pressure being supplied to the motor B is shut off and the line 33 may, if desired, be removed from the inlet port.

It has been assumed that an air compressor .(not shown), preferably portable, will be the 7 most convenient source of pressure for actuating the useof individual starting means, including batteries, for each engine isrendered unnecesthe motor. Obviously, if the source of pressure is portable or available to a plurality of engines,

no other source of power would be required. By

equipping the starter of an engine with a fluid impelled actuating mechanism as set forth herein, it is manifest that there is no necessity for electrical ormechanical sources of power. Thus,

sary. The air motor B is relatively inexpensive, of rugged, simple construction and may be con-. nected to any engine starter having a Bendix" or similar drive associated therewith.

The foregoingdescription of .the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes inthe size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made,

within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: In the type of engine starter having flywheel actuating elements and a housing enclosing the.

elements, the improvement which includes, a fluid impeller, a gear train transmission constantly connected with the impeller, a housing surrounding said impeller and transmission, a shaft in constant connection with said transmission and releasably connected to the actuating elements of the starter, an adapter surrounding the intermediate portion of the shaft fastened to the starter housing and the impeller housing for connecting the same, and means separate from the adapter extending from said impeller housing to said starter housing and connected thereto for reinforcing the impeller housing."

'rRUE'r'r M. CONE. 

